The Trail Blazers will wear a band on their jerseys throughout the season to honor the late Bill Walton, according to a team press release. Walton passed away on May 27 at the age of 71. All of Portland’s jerseys will feature a tie-dye band along the top of the left side with his “32” number in white. As a Trail Blazer, Walton was a two-time All-Star (1977 and 1978) and led the Blazers to the NBA championship in 1977.
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- Expect Shaedon Sharpe to open a lot of eyes during training camp, Sean Highkin predicts in a Rose Garden Report mailbag. Sharpe underwent core muscle surgery and was limited to 32 games last season. He has been healthy all summer and participated in training camp with Team Canada before the Olympics. He also played in a pro-am in Vancouver last month, according to Highkin. In his latest mailbag, Highkin notes that make-or-break element of Scoot Henderson’s development is his ability to finish at the rim. As a rookie, the lottery pick shot 46 percent at the rim, way too low for a guard with his level of athleticism and explosiveness.
- The organization has made a number of promotions and additions, according to another team press release. Gilbert Abraham has been promoted to director of player development. Dr. Courtney Watson has been named director of health and player performance after previously serving as the team’s head athletic trainer. Chris Gerona and Jaclyn Lindell have been hired as physical therapists, while Greg Hulbrink has been added as an assistant strength coach.
- They have reaching an agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group to launch the ‘Rip City Television Network,’ a network of affiliates throughout the Pacific Northwest, to serve as their new TV home, according to another press release. They are also launching a paid subscription-based, direct-to-consumer streaming service, BlazerVision, this season. It’s the first time in Trail Blazers history that a majority of their games will be available to fans via easy-to-access, over-the-air television.